The Novice Mourner

by Joshua McKinney

Poetry. Winner of the Dorothy Brunsman poetry prize. "These handsomely-crafted poems are remarkable--not only for their intelligence and use of language, but for their blend of sensitivity and strength. On his journey to recover the 'lost child,' Joshua McKinney's belief in innocence never wavers. At the same time, he gives dignity to boyhood's time and place, and those who inhabit it...THE NOVICE MOURNER is an achievement in that it truly demonstrates how grief can give way to a celebration of life"--Judith Minty.

Genres: Poetry

57 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Dillon Allen-Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his first collection, Saunter, McKinney found his forms, and put the world into it. In The Novice Mourner, he finds “the vantage point that words provide” (“A Principle of Perspective”, pg. 16). From this distance, the poet opens up to the reader emotionally. The poet is a child now—even more than in the past. In life, time only moves forward, only saunters in one direction. In The Novice Mourner we find “the present falling backward” (“A Rescue”, pg. 41).

[Erica Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua McKinney was my professor of poetry-writing in my master's program at California State University. McKinney knows the heart of the poem and doesn't look away when the heart is breaking. He's been honing his craft for many years; this book is a collection of highly polished work.